


Galarian Dark Roast

by psychicfiredemoness



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: First Dates, M/M, Mild Language, Short One Shot, Soft Rock/Heavy Metal Shipping, mentioned relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:59:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26961775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychicfiredemoness/pseuds/psychicfiredemoness
Summary: Piers decides to take Steven up on his offer for coffee.Sequel to Armorite Ore
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan, Nezu | Piers/Tsuwabuki Daigo | Steven Stone
Comments: 9
Kudos: 32





	Galarian Dark Roast

**Author's Note:**

> Well it's official, I'm in hell and this ship is the hill I will die on. XD  
> Hope everyone enjoys and comments are always appreciated.

There was absolutely no reason to be terrified. It was just coffee. He had been on plenty of dates– not that this was a date –to little coffee shops before, just like the one he was headed towards now. This was just coffee between friends, because really, why would Steven want to be anything _but_ friends?

They had been talking here and there since they’d exchanged numbers a week ago. It wasn’t anything serious, just getting to know each other through the occasional text and a couple of six-hour calls. When Steven had called the night before, told Piers that he would be leaving the Isle of Armor for the mainland, and hoped that he would meet him for that cup of coffee, Piers had been excited, even eager, to accept.

But then Raihan’s comment crawled back into his mind and stuck in his brain like a bad song, playing over and over again; it wouldn’t have been the first time that the dragon tamer had fooled him with erroneous information. Not about to fall another one of Raihan’s jokes, Piers decided to do a little fact-checking online. What a mistake that had been.

Steven had little social media presence. He barely had a Pokébook page, and that was dedicated more to different rocks and their properties than anything about the man himself. A little more digging led him to some news articles from about a year ago that confirmed Raihan’s claims. Not only was Steven the Hoenn Champion, but if the news was to be believed than he had had a hand in taking down some ecoterrorist group, worked for what appeared to be his region’s largest company, and had performed extensive charity work. It couldn’t all be true, because what the _fuck_ would someone like that want with someone like him?

For the rest of the night Piers wracked his brain trying to understand the man’s angle. In the wee hours of the morning he finally decided that it had to be some elaborate joke, that Steven was just some rich asshole trying to play the street trash from Spikemuth for kicks like others before him. He had been tempted to cancel their plans when he woke up that afternoon. But, he argued with the butterflies in his gut, he could at least get a free drink from the bougie prick. It wasn’t at all because he wanted to see him, or worse, _liked_ him. No, he was just going because he would make the most of a shit situation.

He was beginning to regret his choice as he drew closer to the little café they had agreed upon. He was already beginning to feel self-conscious; he hadn’t exactly dressed up when he had thrown on some ripped– albeit stylishly –jeans and a long sleeve to protect his pallid skin from the afternoon sun. Steven on the other hand, the man was so prim and proper Piers couldn’t imagine him in anything but that stiff suit of his.

As he rounded a corner onto the main fairway of Hamerlocke he entertained the idea of just turning around and heading home, but he was too stubborn for that.

“Oi, Piers!” Goddamn it. Just when he didn’t think his day could have gotten worse. “What brings you over my way?”

Raihan strolled up cheerily, his arm slung openly around Leon’s shoulders and squeezing the Champion close to his side. He was surprised they weren’t with their girls, but with the League season over they probably had a little more freedom to saunter around with each other without the constant worry of paparazzi behind every corner. It was a relief to know he wouldn’t be under the same scrutiny when the next year’s Gym Challenge got underway, though he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop from worrying about Marnie when it did.

“I’m in a hurry,” Piers remarked and tried to brush them off by heading faster down the road. He could see the café at the end of the road, and Steven waiting outside at one of the patio tables; he was pleased to see the man had swapped his formal suit for something more casual. A smile tugged at his lips but he refused to give anything away. “Got plans.”

“Oh?” He could practically feel Raihan’s gaze assailing him. “Going to meet someone?”

“None of your business,” Piers shot back and prayed that his friend wouldn’t see Steven up ahead, or worse connect the dots. He tried to hurry away but the asthma that had plagued him since childhood allowed for a brisk walk at most.

“Hey, Leon…” Oh no. He could hear the smirk in Raihan’s voice. _Oh no._ “…isn’t that the Hoenn Champion up there?”

Next thing they knew Leon had left his partner’s embrace and was barreling towards the café. Piers shot a withering look back at Raihan whose only response was to give a cheeky grin and use those long legs of his to leave him behind as he followed after Leon.

Piers was the last to reach the café and found that Leon was already asking Steven for a battle, the local Champ positively ablaze with excitement. Steven on the other hand looked uncomfortable at best, but his expression lightened when Piers joined them, the sourest of looks on his face as he slumped into the seat across the Hoenn native.

With his desired companion in place, he finally turned to Leon. “I’m sorry,” Steven said pleasantly and gave Piers what he thought was a significant look from the corner of his steely eyes, “but maybe another time? I really don’t want anything to interrupt our date.”

Piers heart hammered so hard he feared it might beat its way out of his chest.

“This is a date?” Piers mouthed off in his surprise.

The look of horror was clear on Steven’s face, all the blood drained away only to return and color his cheeks with humiliation. His mouth gaped and twitched wordlessly before finding his voice.

Steven’s voice softened under his embarrassment, his reply stuttering. “I… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed that you would be interested-”

Piers’ voice was faster to come, and he turned it on his former colleagues as he felt the blush rise in his face. “The both of you sod off ya bloody pillocks!” He snarled.

Leon had the good sense to be embarrassed at the intrusion. Raihan on the other hand looked pleased with the outcome.

“Nice to see you again, Champ,” he called back with a cheery wave and escorted Leon down the road and mercifully out of sight. If either of them had hung around much longer Piers didn’t know if he could be held accountable for his actions.

An awkward silence fell over the pair. With a frown Piers glanced around the café’s patio and the busy street adjacent to it. There were too many people, and while he liked a crowd the people of Hammerlocke weren’t his type.

“Let’s make that coffee to go,” he suggested as a server took their order.

Stevens’s face fell at the comment and Piers knew exactly what he was thinking. He was tempted to tease him about it, but it was somehow endearing that such a powerful man would wear his heart on his sleeve so casually.

Their drinks came back quick enough and Piers stood from his seat, unable to stop himself from relishing Steven’s expression just a little. “Come on,” he said with a nod towards the east. “Don’t want to run into any more of their like.”

Steven followed obediently until Piers stopped halfway across the bridge leading to Route 7. He leaned back against the railing and took a sip of his coffee, leveling Steven with a stare. He still wasn’t convinced this was a setup.

“So, this was a date?” He pressed.

Steven had the audacity to smile in a way that did something to Piers heart.

“That was the idea,” Steven admitted with a little laugh that only twisted his insides more. He joined Piers at the safety rail, leaning in and staring over at the chasm below and the Wild Area just beyond. “I hoped it would be obvious how much I like you, but I’m afraid I’ve never been very good at being romantic.” There was a pause in which he played with the cardboard cup in his hands. “I also shouldn’t have assumed you would be interested in another man.”

“Who said I ain’t?” Piers immediately retorted, taking a large gulp of coffee to stop himself from saying anything else. Everything that came from Steven’s mouth seemed so utterly sincere, and it made him feel vulnerable in a way he didn’t want to think about.

“Are you?” His voice was sheer hope.

“Maybe.”

Another silence fell, not nearly as pressing as the last but enough that it bothered Piers. If they weren’t talking then he was left to think about what was unfolding. Or what wasn’t, he bitterly reminded himself.

He turned letting their shoulders brush as he joined his companion in overlooking the horizon.

“Surprised you didn’t want to battle Leon. Seems to be the only reason any of the other Champions ever visit,” Piers said. “See who’s stronger and all that.”

Steven hummed thoughtfully before he answered. “The League typically frowns on any unofficial matches. I’m not that interested in battling him either way,” he confided. “I wanted my pokémon to reach their full potential and be the very best they could, but maybe I took them too far. I never planned on becoming Hoenn’s Champion when I challenged the Elite Four. It just sort of happened.”

Piers gave a short laugh. Never in a million years would he have thought someone didn’t want to become Champion. It was all anyone seemed to talk about even in the off-season, dethroning Leon and the glory and fame it would bring. While he wasn’t as close to Leon as Rai was, he knew enough to understand the stress that their own Champion was under, the impossible expectations of representing the League and region as a whole every second of every day. But he had always thought that was just Galar’s League.

“Not all it’s cracked up to be?” Piers let their shoulders rub together a little more while he finished the rest of his drink. “I think I can understand. I took over the Spikemuth Gym without much of a choice. Had to take care of my little sister once our dad passed.”

He expected the same sorry he always got when someone found out; everyone was always sorry. Instead Steven took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

“That must have been incredibly difficult.” The smile he gave warm and full of empathy. “You’re strong to have taken all that on yourself.”

That… Piers didn’t know what to do with that except to squeeze Steven’s hand back and not let go.

“If it wasn’t to fight Leon, what did bring you to Galar?” Piers asked to avoid anything more about himself.

“I told you how I collect rare stones but it’s about more than just some ore on the Isle of Armor. I want to experience this world myself, to see it with my own eyes and experience it on my own skin.” There was a sparkle in Steven’s eyes as he spoke. He was so earnest that Piers couldn’t help but believe him, and believe that maybe, just maybe there was something to this date. But probably not.

“I guess you won’t be stickin’ around too much longer?” He would have been lying if he said he wasn’t digging for validation.

“It’s true I can’t stay forever.” Steven turned to face him, his eyes reflecting a warmth so deep it felt foreign. “But I can see one very good reason to come back.”

Steven’s words weren’t fair, nor was the way he ran his thumb slowly against Piers’ fingers or the way he was staring at him like he was one of the precious gems he had often told him about in their calls. Like he was important to him, like he mattered far more than he did. It wasn’t fair that Piers was melting under his gaze then leaning into the man until he felt the warm press of lips on his own.

The kiss was clumsy and eager and perfect. But it was short, and Steven pulled back just enough to press their foreheads together. However much time they would have together before Steven returned home, Piers intended to make the most of it.


End file.
